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Studying in the US: how to survive independence?

Here you are, you’ve managed to study in the US and are about to begin your first semester… living alone. This all sound pretty good until you realize depending on yourself is not as easy as you thought, or is it? Thing is, in order to make it you have to be prepared and with these tips you’ll survive.

Studying in college far away from home is more common than you think and thousands of students, just like you, have to face the challenge of leaving behind al their commodities and family. On the bright side, it has more benefits tan you think starting with how fast you’ll mature and how you’ll enter adulthood with all the right tools.

So, what can you do to successfully survive your first semester living abroad? These are some of the things you need to consider to avoid eating instant ramen all days while you count all the cents left until the end of the month:

Make your own budget

Ok, listen. This point is SUPER IMPORTANT. If you can’t find the right way to administrate your finances you won’t make it through college and to avoid it creating a budget is basic and hear me out you NEED TO STICK TO IT. I know, spending money treating ourselves can be tempting but if you don’t control it bankruptcy will be just around the corner.

What can you do then? Make a list with all the mandatory expenses of the month: rent, food, services, personal expenses, etc. These are the things you cannot forget to pay and should be your priority and yes, depending on how much money you have left you can save a few to treat yourself when you deserve. Having some extra money for emergencies is also elementary.

The lesson here is to be realistic and responsible when it comes to expenses.

Pick the right zone

The place where you’ll live and how far it is from your university will also be determinant. Why? Price ranges may vary depending on the zone you’re in same as the public transport. While it’s true this is related to the last point it’s important to keep it in mind when you’re looking for a place to leave.

The closer you live to college, the better. You’ll spend way less to get there and you can even try using a bike or just walk to your classes. Moving to a student area you’ll also feel safer while being surrounded by people your age: making new friends will be easier same as quickly adapting to your new college life.

Organization is key

At first it might be a bit complicated to control everything around you so you’ll forget a few things or will be super busy getting used to your new university and country. That’s why making lists and set as many reminders as you need can be the key to remind everything in your new independent life.

It’s your first semester, relax. Yes you might feel a little overwhelmed with all your assignments so you can start by making a weekly schedule so you don’t miss a single exam or due date; besides you place your lists around your house to remember what you need to buy at the market, when to do laundry and, basically whatever you can think of.

Don’t be afraid of the kitchen or being alone, the internet can be really useful to learn how to cook or fix things and when in doubt you can always call your parents for piece of advice. As Master Yoda would say: patience you must have my young padawan.

Have a good time!

Despite how stressful it can be not everyone is lucky enough to study in the US and have the whole independence experience at such a young age so enjoy it! Focus on the fact that once you graduate you’ll be 100% ready to face adulthood successfully.

Take a chill pill, learn everything you can and don’t forget you’re still young and it’s okay to make mistakes as long as you learn from them and become a better person. So now you know, to survive your first semester studying abroad all you need is organization and take things slow. Everything will be okay!